Hmm - I voted “never” but what I really mean by this is:
95% of the time bikes should not be on the footpath with pedestrians anyway.(YMMV depending on location and type of road - we have good bike paths in Melbourne)
During the small amount of time you need to/are allowed to share a path with pedestrians “on the right/left” is far preferable to the bell, because it gives the pedestrian information that the bell doesn’t. I guess if I’d lost my voice I’d use the bell. And also, you should be slow enough not to hurt them if they do unexpectedly step in front of you. Hurtling down the path at speed is for the road.
I do use the bell for passing other cyclists - we’re going faster and voice doesn’t always carry.
Are those “bike paths” for bicycles only? I don’t know of any paths like that in the U.S. Where I live, they’re starting to put bicycle lanes on the streets, where they’re wide enough. And there are distinct paths for bicycles and pedestrians to share. The best one near me is along the Charles River, I was riding that every day for a couple months last summer. Despite the fact it’s supposed to be shared, I’d still see gaggles of pedestrians walking abreast, taking up the whole path and looking surprised that a bicycle wanted to get through.
I used top say “on your left.” On hearing that, the thought process seemed to be along the lines of “something interesting is happening on my left? I’d better stop and turn to my left to see what it is.”
I don’t own a bell. I don’t think they’re very audible (eg, in windy conditions), and there’s not really a way to make them louder. I do have a very strong voice. When I’m about to pass a pedestrian, I announce myself. This is key: you have to give pedestrians loud, early notice. I often say explicitly that I’ll be passing on their left, although if they’re on the rec path, they should know what the warning “on your left” means when they hear it. Sadly, many don’t understand and move to their left. :rolleyes:
People can be walking right toward me, on my side of the rec path (it’s like US traffic - stay to your right except to pass) and not have it enter into their heads that they’re doing something wrong. I get vocal.
On many multi-use-trails horses (and their riders) are mixed into the traffic. Some horses see bicycles as very odd and dangerous animals and like to escort their riders to safety through the brush. I have had to dismount my bike, lay it down, and walk away from it, so the dopes could clop past. Then, in return, Mr Ed excretes a reward of spent hay on the trail!
Cars also have signals, mirrors, and roads with lanes. If other cars regularly wandered along at a slow pace on the road, changed lanes without warning, and had no easy way to see what was behind them, you might use your horn a whole lot more.